Anyone who has read the front page of this week's local newspaper will notice the headline: "If crime is down, why is the jail bill out of control?"The local paper raises an excellent question. The Commentator has posted several articles which effectively answers that question, and with the facts to back up the conclusions reached in those articles.
Let us examine two issues related to the question raised by the local paper.
First, is the jail bill is bankrupting the County's budget?
From 2008 to 2012, spending by the Webster County Commission increased by $1,192,276.14. Here are the plain facts as to what caused that huge spending increase: 64.2% of that $1.192 million dollar increase came from increased expenditures for employee related expenses, such as higher salaries, taxes, retirement, and insurance costs. Only 27.9% of the increase in spending was due to the higher Regional Jail bill. Other spending by the Commission amounted to 7.9% of the spending increase.
So, is it fair for anyone to claim that the jail bill is bankrupting the County? No, the facts say that the jail bill is responsible for 27.9% of the spending increase, but the vast majority of the County's budget problem lies with the 64.2% increase in employee related spending.
What else has caused the County to be facing (for at least the third year in a row) an $800,000.00 to $1,100,000.00 budget deficit? The answer is a decline in revenues, particularly the decline in coal severance revenues. So, again, is it fair to say that the jail bill is bankrupting the County? The facts say No. The decline in revenues and the increase in employee related and other spending are the main culprits, and the increased jail bill is responsible for only 27.9% of the problem.
Second, is crime up or down in the County?
According to the most recent available crime statistics, crime is down. Our prior article could not address the past year since those statistics are not yet available. It is very possible that we have experienced an increase in crime but we do not have the statistics to verify that one way or the other.
So, why is the jail bill out of control if crime is down? The Magistrates would suggest, and the facts available seem to back them up on this claim, that they have set high bail amounts keeping more people in jail and not out on the streets committing more crime. Further, their actions could be argued to be a deterrent to folks thinking about committing crime in the County. The Commentator regularly works in the Court system in Nicholas County, and Deputy Sheriffs have half jokingly and half seriously stated that they believe the Webster Magistrates are responsible for an increase in crime in Nicholas County because more people are crossing the county line to commit crime in Nicholas rather than face the wrath of the Webster Magistrates should they get caught in Webster.
By setting high bail amounts, the Webster Magistrates have increased the County's jail bill. In fact, they have more than doubled the jail bill as compared to when the prior Magistrates were in office. But the County budget facts discussed above and in our extensive prior articles support the conclusion that the jail bill is NOT bankrupting the County; other spending accounts for more than 72% of the spending increase over the past four years.
Our prior crime statistic article can be accessed at this link:
http://webstercommentator.blogspot.com/2013/01/crime-rate-declines-considerably-in.html
Please review the facts contained in our prior articles on the County's budget at this link:
http://webstercommentator.blogspot.com/2012/11/more-analysis-of-webster-countys.html
Let us examine two issues related to the question raised by the local paper.
First, is the jail bill is bankrupting the County's budget?
From 2008 to 2012, spending by the Webster County Commission increased by $1,192,276.14. Here are the plain facts as to what caused that huge spending increase: 64.2% of that $1.192 million dollar increase came from increased expenditures for employee related expenses, such as higher salaries, taxes, retirement, and insurance costs. Only 27.9% of the increase in spending was due to the higher Regional Jail bill. Other spending by the Commission amounted to 7.9% of the spending increase.
So, is it fair for anyone to claim that the jail bill is bankrupting the County? No, the facts say that the jail bill is responsible for 27.9% of the spending increase, but the vast majority of the County's budget problem lies with the 64.2% increase in employee related spending.
What else has caused the County to be facing (for at least the third year in a row) an $800,000.00 to $1,100,000.00 budget deficit? The answer is a decline in revenues, particularly the decline in coal severance revenues. So, again, is it fair to say that the jail bill is bankrupting the County? The facts say No. The decline in revenues and the increase in employee related and other spending are the main culprits, and the increased jail bill is responsible for only 27.9% of the problem.
Second, is crime up or down in the County?
According to the most recent available crime statistics, crime is down. Our prior article could not address the past year since those statistics are not yet available. It is very possible that we have experienced an increase in crime but we do not have the statistics to verify that one way or the other.
So, why is the jail bill out of control if crime is down? The Magistrates would suggest, and the facts available seem to back them up on this claim, that they have set high bail amounts keeping more people in jail and not out on the streets committing more crime. Further, their actions could be argued to be a deterrent to folks thinking about committing crime in the County. The Commentator regularly works in the Court system in Nicholas County, and Deputy Sheriffs have half jokingly and half seriously stated that they believe the Webster Magistrates are responsible for an increase in crime in Nicholas County because more people are crossing the county line to commit crime in Nicholas rather than face the wrath of the Webster Magistrates should they get caught in Webster.
By setting high bail amounts, the Webster Magistrates have increased the County's jail bill. In fact, they have more than doubled the jail bill as compared to when the prior Magistrates were in office. But the County budget facts discussed above and in our extensive prior articles support the conclusion that the jail bill is NOT bankrupting the County; other spending accounts for more than 72% of the spending increase over the past four years.
Our prior crime statistic article can be accessed at this link:
http://webstercommentator.blogspot.com/2013/01/crime-rate-declines-considerably-in.html
Please review the facts contained in our prior articles on the County's budget at this link:
http://webstercommentator.blogspot.com/2012/11/more-analysis-of-webster-countys.html
So thankful fot these magistrte's who will not let criminals off the hook!!!
ReplyDeleteIf more criminals are in jail there are less of them on the streets to commit the crimes. It seems to me that it makes perfect sense that the jail bill is higher and crime is lower.
ReplyDeleteAnd the daily cost of keeping a prisoner has increased about 8% since 2008. If you don't include that cost imposed by the state the overall increase is about 20%
ReplyDeleteYour numbers seem off. What is the budget and what is the jail bill currently at? That will give us the true percentage. I think 27% is low.
ReplyDeleteJeff you do a outstanding job with this page. I enjoy reading it. Thank you so much for taking time to keep us update with county news.
ReplyDeleteI agree with certain criminals not being let off the hook. However, when sex offenders receive lesser sentences than someone who gets caught with marijuana, there is something wrong with this picture! Almost every single arrest for this year was for possessing drugs or conspiring for drugs, or committing crimes to have the means to get drugs. I would like to see more people being sentenced to long term rehabs. It would probably be alot cheaper on the county and who knows, a few may even take it seriously and better themselves. Webster County needs real recovery and drug treatment programs people! Therapists who received degrees in addiction counseling, real NA meetings, group therapies, halfway houses for men and women, meetings for teens and children and family members of addicts, and most importantly....make the science of addiction and what it does to your body a MANDATORY class for students in every grade. I spent time in rehab myself, and if I had known the facts about what it dies to the brain, I would have never picked it up! The problem can't be fixed over night, but it will give as half a chance at nipping crime in the bud! Most of the programs I am talking about are fully self supporting or covered by donations and grants. Jail does not treat drug problems, treatment treats drug problems!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIf you think the numbers are off, then please read the prior budget articles and you will see that of the $1.192 million dollar spending increase from 2008 to 2012, the jail bill accounts for only 27.9% of that increase. FACT. The prior articles talk about the entire budget numbers, so please read. If the jail bill for this year comes in at about $650,000.00, then the jail bill will account for about 20% of the entire $3.4 million dollar county budget. The 27.9% figure is the jail bill's portion of the spending increase.
ReplyDelete"If more criminals are in jail there are less of them on the streets to commit the crimes. It seems to me that it makes perfect sense that the jail bill is higher and crime is lower."
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I thought when I saw that headline.
How about we decrease employee related spending. Elected public offices are to serve the county and the public not a private employer. We are not a richie rich community yet community dollars are spent on all of the employee related spending.
ReplyDeleteevery year you see new cop cars, or someone who works for the county suspected of stealing money. why not cut back and save? i dont see where crime is down that much, there are meth labs galore! the numbers may say it, but its not true. imagine how many are still out there and just havent been caught. in my personal opinion, crimes like meth labs and battery...(severe crimes) should be the ones with high bail. crimes like shop lifting or possessing a little pot should not have such high bails. more community service as a sentence would help in a lot of ways too. have u seen the litter in our county? its gross! and cps needs to stop ripping so many kids away from parents for minor things. they are supposed to help keep families together. work to repair the problem instead of taking so many kids that the state has to support while in foster care. its common sense people.
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when a county such as this has minimal crime. They pick on the little things and treat all as a murder charge. There is no balance, I agree. Intent to deliver charges for two pills? That is a joke. If these guys would really see a load of drugs they would crap down their pants. LOL!
ReplyDelete